Revegetation of the Berry BypassWorking with community and partners to landscape with locally collected native seedshttps://landcare.nsw.gov.au/groups/shoalhaven-landcare-association-inc/the-new-berry-by-passhttps://landcare.nsw.gov.au/@@site-logo/landcare-nsw-logo-200.png

Revegetation of the Berry Bypass

Working with community and partners to landscape with locally collected native seeds

Revegetation of the Berry Bypass

Working with community and partners to landscape with locally collected native seeds

Making a Difference -

LLCI024-002

The issue

The NSW Government Announced a Major Upgrade of the Princes Highway between Gerringong and Bomaderry in 2007. Part of this upgrade involved construction in environmentally sensitive areas between Toolijooa and Berry. Shoalhaven Landcare Association sub-group, Berry Landcare and Landcare Illawarra have worked together with the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and the road construction contractor Fulton Hogan to ensure that the landscaping of the new road reflects the environment through which it passed.

The solution

Berry Landcare forged a rewarding relationship with Landcare Illawarra through this project. We contributed by discussing environmental issues with RMS during planning and formally commented on the Environmental Assessment. This resulted in the Ministerial Conditions of Consent for the project including a requirement for the landscaping to be species that are indigenous to the area.

We worked with RMS and Fulton Hogan on the road verge landscaping including design, sourcing seeds locally and ensuring local nurseries had sufficient stock. We also assisted RMS to identify the most appropriate land for environmental offsets, all of which were adjacent to the road alignment.

The impact

This project resulted in better outcomes for the environment through locally appropriate road verge landscaping and offset plantings, which will provide important seed bank opportunities for the future. 450 trees were planted on National Tree Day in 2016 by Berry Primary School students, Fulton Hogan and Berry Landcare on an RMS-owned offset site adjacent to Bundewallah Creek.

Relationships between Landcare and local native nurseries were strengthened in this project, particularly the plant propagation unit at Berry Primary School which supplied seed and plants to the project. This project also forged stronger links between Berry Landcare and Landcare Illawarra who, since this project, conduct regular joint seed collection activities.

Learnings

Key learnings were the importance of getting involved in the early planning stages of the project, understanding the constraints under which RMS work as a Government agency, and the importance of persistence.